Follower-last.



Nn.- 668,477. Patented Feb. I9, |90I.

T. D. BARRY. FoLLowl-:'LAsr (Application filed Jan. 27, 1898.)

(No Mbdel.)

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THOMAS D. BARRY, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

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4i9EGIl?ICI-it'IION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 668,477, dated February 19, 1901.

Application tiled January 27,1898. Serial No. 668,104. (No model.,`

To all 'wwm/ t may concern.-

Be it known that l, THOMAS D. BARRY, of Brockton, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in FolloWer-Lasts, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel last intended more especially for use in a shoe being made in a factory, said last taking the place of the last upon which the upper was lasted.

The chief duty of the follower-last is to keep the upper properly distended while the several iinishing operations followingl the leveling of the sole may be carriedv on.

The last herein to be described consists, essentially, of a heel part and a divided fore part composed of two pieces loosely connect ed with the heel part and each one adapted to move on or with relation to the heel part by or through a suitable connection when the fore part is being contracted to put it into or take it out from the upper of a boot or shoe.

Figure-l is a top or plan view of a last embodying this invention, the fore part being in its normal expanded position. Fig. 2 is an under side or bottom view of said last; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the last shown in Fig. 2, the dotted lines showing the fore part pulled down, as it will be when the shoeis to be removed from the last.

My improved last is composed, essentially, of a heel partA and a divided fore part B C, the said fore part being united by a connection which will permit of the parts B and O sliding each on or with relation to the heel part laterally when the fore part is being contracted into the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1, as when a shoe is applied to the last.

The heel part of the last is herein shown as provided with a suitable shoulder a2, on which is mounted one-half, as herein shown, of a hinge a3, said hinge constituting a part of one form of sliding connecting device for uniting the said solid heel and the divided two-part fore part. One leaf of this hinge is secured to the shoulder a2 by suitable screws a4; but the other leaf, as herein shown, is slotted, as at b c, each slot receiving a screw, as b c, which is respectively screwed into the two parts B and O of the divided fore part. The divided fore part has placed between its two halves suitable springs c, which normally act to separate the two parts B and O of the fore part, the extentor limit of said separation being determined by the lengths of the slots b and c and also by a suitable stop device, shown as a slotted plate d, attached by a screw d to the part C, said slot receiving in it a screw d2, extended from the part B, said slotted plate d being contained in suitable recesses in the bottom of the last, so as not to interfere at all with laying the inner sole flat on the bottom of the last.

It will be supposed that the shoe has been lasted upon a regular last and has been carriedthrough the usual operations and that the bottom of the sole has been leveled. At this point this invention may come into use, and to put it into use the usual last upon which the shoe was lasted will be removed and the follower-last may be inserted, it for such insertion being squeezed or pinched together, so that its fore part will occupy sub stantially its dotted-line position, Fig. l, and as the said fore partis put into the front part of the boot or shoe the springs e by their-ex pansion cause the parts B and O to (it and distend properly the boot or shoe, keeping it stretched and in form during the subsequent finishing operations to which the shoe is subjected in the factory, such, it may be, as heeling, buffing, treeing, dac.

Prior to this invention I am not aware that a solid heel part has ever had loosely connected with it a two-part or divided toe or fore part normally kept separated by springs and capable of being moved one toward the other to bring the fore part of the last into smaller compass, and therefore this invention is not limited to the exact construction of the connection herein represented, and instead I may use any other usual or suitable jointed connection'which will permit the two parts B and O of the fore part to be moved each toward or from the other to contract the same.

When the follower-last is to be removed from a shoe, it is only necessary to apply the hole a in the crown onto any usual heel-pin commonly employed to support a last and to bear down upon the toe of the last pulling upon the shoe, such pulling down of the toe IOO follower-last.

Ha ving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A last composed of a heel portion, and a fore part composed of two parts longitudinally divided and hinged to said heel part, said two parts of the fore part being adapted to be moved each one toward the other to thereby decrease the dia metervof the fore part of the last, and means located between the said two parts of the fore part to normally force them apart, substantially as described.

2. The heel part A, and the divided fore part B, C, the hinge connecting said parts, the parts C and B being connected loosely to said hinge to thereby permit said parts to be moved in substantial parallelism one toward the other, a spring to normally expand or separate said two parts of the fore part, and a connected stop located near the fore part of the shoe to limit the degree ofV separation of the two parts of the fore part, substantially as described.

3. In a last, a heel portion, and afore part composed of two parts, combined with a connecting device uniting said two parts of the fore part loosely with said heel part to enable said fore part to be moved laterally on or with relation to the heel part, and means to normally keep the two parts of the fore part separated, substantially as described.

4. A split follower comprising a heel part, a fore part di vided longitudinally into two sections which are separable to distend or widen the fore part, springs arranged to yieldingly separate said sections, and a loose hinge connection between the heel part 4and the distensible fore part, having provisions for the distention and contraction of the fore part,

substantially as described.

5. A split follower comprising a heel part, a divided fore part, and a hinge connecting the heel part to the divided fore part, one of said fore-part members having a sliding engagement with said hinge, substantially as described.

6. A split follower comprising a heel part, a divided fore part, and a hinge one member of'which is connected to the said heel part, and also having a member loosely connected t one of said fore parts, substantially as described.

, 7. A split follower comprising a heel part, a divided fore part, and a hinge one member of which is connected to the said heel part, another member of said hinge being formed with a slot, and -a pin or screw connected to one of the sections of the fore part and arranged in said slot, whereby said member has a sliding connection with said hinge, substantially as described.

8. A split followercomprising a heel part, and a sectional yieldingly-distensible fore part hinged to the heel part, substantially as described.

9. A split follower comprising a heel part, a divided fore part, and a hinge loosely connected to the divided fore part, whereby a lat'- eral freedom of expansion and contraction is obtained,lsubstantially as described.

l0. In a last or analogous device, the combination of a heel part with a 'plurality of fore-part secr ions each hinged to the heel part and movable laterally from and toward each other, and a separating mechanism between said sections, the heel part swinging upward and forward to shorten the last, substantially as described.

l1. A fore part comprising a plurality of fore-part sections movable laterally toward or from each other, means for separating said sections, and a heel-piece loosely connected to said fore part and movable upward and forward, substantially as described.

l2. A fore part comprising a plurality of fore-part sections movable laterally toward and from each other, automatic means for operating said sections, and a heel -piece hinged to each section of said fore part, and movable independently thereof, substantially as described.

13. A fore part divided longitudinally, and having a spring interposed between the sections thereof to yieldingly separate them, and a heel-piece connected to said fore part permitting the sections of said fore part to move laterally, substantially as described.

14. A longitudinally-divided fore part, a heel-piece hinged thereto, the partsof said fore part being adapted to be moved each one toward the other to thereby decrease the diameter of the fore part, and means interposed between the parts of said fore part to normally force them apart, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

In testimony whereof I have signed my Y name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS D. BARRY. 

